Sharing spotlight good for Lin and Harden

As much as James Harden might have dominated the Pistons and NBA conversation since, Jeremy Lin remains a focus of attention. A day has not passed in which he has not been asked about Linsanity and the search for a suitable encore.

Because “Beardsanity”‘ falls short as a pun, and also makes as much sense as adding “gate” to the end of every scandal to follow Watergate, Harden can ease pressure on the court more than off.

“I think that was good for Jeremy,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. “I always told Jeremy it’s so hard to live up to the Linsanity hype and all that. He’s a very good basketball player. He just needs to go out there and be a very good basketball player. James Harden allows him to just be a very good basketball player. He’s going to take a lot of playmaking off of his plate, but they can be very good together.

“Let me tell you something, when we made that trade the guy (that) was most excited when I called up everybody and said we’re making the trade was Jeremy Lin. He was like, ‘Oh, thank goodness, coach.’ ”

Eventually, McHale thought Lin’s experience playing in the spotlight could be useful, but it can be dangerous in the short term to try to live up to the hype.

“I don’t know how that helps anybody,” McHale said. “It was a phenomenal story for the league. It was really cool. That’s an unrealistic hype mode you get into. You have a ceiling and a floor. You don’t play on the ceiling and you surely hope you don’t play on the floor. You play somewhere in between there. He had a ceiling moment for three or four weeks. You don’t live on that. To say ‘We expect him to do that every night,’ that’s unfair. That’s like saying ‘James Harden set a ceiling at 37 points, 12 assists, six rebounds, four steals. If he doesn’t do that, he had a bad game.’ That’s silly.

“(Lin) just has to come out and be a good basketball player. Young players that got a lot of hype, I think that hurts them more than helps them. They start thinking, ‘If I don’t play at that level I’m not playing well. In the long run, it might be good. In the short term, I think it hurts guys.”

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See the best photos from the Rockets’ season-opening win over the Pistons.

Houston's Cole Aldrich (31) battles for a loose ball against Portland's Wesley Matthews (2) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Houston's Cole Aldrich (31) battles for a loose ball against Portland's Wesley Matthews (2) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Houston's Chandler Parsons (25) dunks the ball over Portland's J.J. Hickson (21) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Houston's Chandler Parsons (25) dunks the ball over Portland's J.J. Hickson (21) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Houston's Chandler Parsons (25) dunks the ball over Portland's J.J. Hickson (21) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Houston's Chandler Parsons (25) dunks the ball over Portland's J.J. Hickson (21) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Houston's James Harden (13) gestures to the audience during a time out during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Houston's James Harden (13) gestures to the audience during a time out during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Houston's Marcus Morris (2) hangs from the basket after scoring against Portland's Luke Babbitt (8) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Houston's Marcus Morris (2) hangs from the basket after scoring against Portland's Luke Babbitt (8) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Portland's J.J. Hickson (21) grabs the rebound over Houston's Cole Aldrich (31) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Portland's J.J. Hickson (21) grabs the rebound over Houston's Cole Aldrich (31) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Houston's James Harden (13) against Portland's Wesley Matthews (2) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Houston's James Harden (13) against Portland's Wesley Matthews (2) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Houston's James Harden (13) looks to pass the ball during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Houston's James Harden (13) looks to pass the ball during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Houston's James Harden (13) looks to pass the ball during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Houston's James Harden (13) looks to pass the ball during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Houston's Jeremy Lin (7) passes the ball during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Houston's Jeremy Lin (7) passes the ball during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Rockets Carlos Delfino fights off the smog during player introductions before the start of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Rockets Carlos Delfino fights off the smog during player introductions before the start of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Jane Wagner wears her beard before the start of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Jane Wagner wears her beard before the start of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Rocket's James Harden (13) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Rocket's James Harden (13) during the first half of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Rockets Carlos Delfino fights off the smog during player introductions before the start of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Rockets Carlos Delfino fights off the smog during player introductions before the start of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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The large over court scoreboard looms over players as they warm up before the start of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

The large over court scoreboard looms over players as they warm up before the start of the home opener NBA game at Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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The new, larger scoreboard above the Toyota Center court before the start of the home opener NBA game at the Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.

The new, larger scoreboard above the Toyota Center court before the start of the home opener NBA game at the Toyota Center, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Houston.